President's Planned Speech to Students "Propaganda"???

[Just-a-Writer]

I have heard it all now!!

President Obama plans to give a speech on CSPAN to be aired in the classroom next Tuesday, a speech encouraging kids to strive in school and to continue their education.

No big, right? Until you put it in the hands of Republicans/conservatives. People are actually threatening to keep their kids home from school to keep their kids from being "indoctrinated". Insane. OOOO, the President wants students to write letters to themselves telling how they can help the President.

I recall Reagan and both Bushes addressing students, TVs rolled into the classroom in order for us to hear the president address us. I remember having to write letters TO the President telling why we respected him. But that's different, right? Because those presidents were...?

[Nebs Jima]

I don't see any reasons other than the dislike of the president. I heard and read so many republicans and the so called conservativesgive lame excuses, it is just his policies. Some claims that Obama expands the government more than any other presidents in the past, they conveniently forget FDR, LBJ Nixon and GW Bush. Just be honest and say, like many voters I encounter in this past election, Many of them say up front , I don't want a black president. Stop pretending, about stumulus package, Pres W started it, If you are talking about personal freedom- very few conservatives raised the issue, like ex congressman- Bob Barr, when all these so called conservative what positions .. you want to...... when many of the left, some conservatives and the majorities (middle- Americans who way passed the race issues), say wait this is going too far. we gave you the benifit of the doubt regarding the Iraq- war but listning our conversations, our daily activities without warrants is not acceptable, they were labled as unamericans. The bottom line is don't dance around with nonsense and say so.

[Boothby171]

morons?

No, but seriously, even though GWB and RR were certifiable morons, they weren't the only presidents who made presentations to the youth of our country. Somebody verify this, but I seem to recall similar opportunities by Bill Clinton (a Rhodes Scholar) and Jimmy Carter (a nuclear Engineer). As far as I'm concerned, ALL presidents have this "right" and should use their position to impress upon the youth of our country just what can be done with intelligence (if only) and perseverance.

We KNOW that GWB made presentations to school children--he read them a book about a goat (with difficulty) while the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon were being atacked by Saudi terrorists.

[cynthia Hunter]

From what I understand it is not so much about the president its more about the study plan packet that are going to be passed out.
The speech is going to. Be released monday so parents and schools can read it then decide what they want to do.
(Oh by the way when Bush gave a speech libs threw a fit, it goes both ways.)
As a parent I'd read the speech first and if I thought that the president was using it for his agenda then. I would keep my child home.

[P.A.]

Very odd that I have no recollection of anybody throwing a fit when Bush spoke. And I have a pretty good memory. Could you give me some links showing this.

[Just-a-Writer]

I don't recall any fit-throwing either. I do recall my kids coming home after school telling me about it. And that was the first I heard of it; after the fact. I do recall thinking it was a terrible waste of a school day, but what was done was done.

Yes, it's a terrible study plan, write a letter to yourself telling yourself what you can do to help the president. Especially since the speech is about how to reduce the drop out rate, and how important education is.

[Boothby171]

The evil study plan packet?

So, has anyone actually SEEN this study plan packet, or are we all just supposed to know that it's a satanistic communistic anti-christic sort of study plan packet?

[Judi]

The Evil Plan: http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/7-12.pdf

I see no problem with all this as long as he stays to "educational" goals, which seems to be the emphasis. I hope that parents are going to be allowed to watch it simultaneously. I would not have pulled my child out for this. If I haven't personally taught her the difference between truth, propaganda, and social engineering, then I should be horse-whipped as a parent, lol.

I think there are just so many people that are distrustful of this administration, and yes, much has come on the coattails of the previous one, but government is government, no matter who is at the helm. Instead of belittling and insulting parents who are concerned, don't you supposed level-headed people believe a bit of understanding and human-to-human discussions should be taking place? After all, we all have an investment in our future leaders. It's time we became role-models and examples of working together, not an "us" against "them" mentality.

[Just-a-Writer]

When you see a spider on the wall beside you, it would be normal to jump, maybe scream out if it really scared you. But if you see a spider on the wall and your response is to run around in circles screaming for five minutes, somebody needs to stop you and slap some sense into you. There's concern, and then there's melodramatic over reacting.

*And by 'you', I mean it in the generic, overall 'you', not the specific.

[Boothby171]

Thank you, Judi.

OK, so I read it. It sounds bland enough--I don't really see a problem with it. Seems like you don't, either. So what's the real fear, here?

Though it DOES contain the dreaded word..."Organizer":


"After brainstorming answers to these questions, students could create a “cause‐and‐effect” graphic organizer."

[Madhatterat60]

Typical. Remember A NATION AT RISK. ? The hard hitting indictment of public education in general commissioned by the RayGun Administration? That was 1980 and predicted many of the problems that are occurring now. It was an incredible report pointing many fingers at congress and several Presidents. When the RayGunites realized they couldn't use this as a tool to cudgel the National Education Association, they stuck it in a desk and ignored it completely...much like Jethro and the 9-11 Commission report. You can bet Aunt Rosy's Farm that had the speaker been oxyRusty Limpnuts or Billo O'Lielly, their tune would have been different.

Does give you pause to wonder why the PREVIOUS administration didn't take a similar stance?

Oh...that's right....being educated = being elitist.

[ZenDog]

I saw on NBC last night how there was an allusion to some unspecified and unsubstantiated fear that the President was going to steal the children's minds.

So of course I went a-ha. Then I sent a letter to one of my senators requesting a Congressional hearing, on the topic of behavioral research involving neural linguistics, conducted by universities in public. My expectation is that if all of the facts come out it will be shown that this body of research is little more than an outgrowth of MK-ULTRA; that it has a variety of practical uses, none of which are really very useful or in the public interest.

I think it should be interesting to see which politicians from either side of the aisle oppose public examination of the details of this nonsense. It might even go some way toward bridging the divide between parties.

So I dunno. What do you think? Are you willing to send a letter to your Congressional Rep requesting hearings on the issue?

Maybe then the butterflies can go free . . .

[Boothby171]

"So I dunno. What do you think? Are you willing to send a letter to your Congressional Rep requesting hearings on the issue?"

No.